Research activities

The Nanoscience Laboratory (NL) main areas of research are neuromorphic photonics, integrated quantum photonics, linear and nonlinear silicon photonics, non-Hermitian photonics and nanobiotechnologies. The mission of NL is to generate new knowledge, to develop understanding and to spin-off applications from physical phenomena associated with photons and their interactions with matter, particularly when it is nanostructured. Specifically, NL aims at understanding the optical properties of lightwave systems such as optical waveguides, microresonators and complex dielectric systems. NL covers the whole value chain from fundamental phenomena to device applications, where the photonic platform is compatible with the main driving silicon microelectronic technologies. However, silicon is not the only material studied. Other fields of interest concern the use of cellulose to tailor the properties of nanostructure atom-by-atom or the use of biological neurons to study brain processes such as memory formation. 

Silicon Nanophotonics

Silicon photonics is the technology where photonic devices are produced by standard microelectronic processes using the same paradigm of electronics: integration of a large number of devices to yield a high circuit complexity, which allows for high performances and low costs. Here, the truth is to develop photonic devices that can be easily integrated to improve the single device performance and to allow high volume production. 
We are following three different research directions: Quantum Photonics, Neuromorphic Photonics and non-Hermitian Photonics. On one side, we will develop a new scheme to implement artificial intelligence in a photonic silicon chip by using brain-inspired or neuromorphic computing schemes. On the other side, we will use silicon photonics to provide a suitable platform for quantum computing and quantum simulations. Finally, we will use the intrinsic dissipative propagation of light to study non-Hermitian systems. In all these approaches, one fundamental device is the silicon microresonator where whispering gallery modes exist. Their nonlinearities can be used to generate new quantum states of light or to realize recurrent neural networks. In addition, new physics can be studied with micro-disks or micro-rings, e.g. chirality, exceptional points, frequency comb generation, entangled photon generation. Also, multimode waveguides are used for nonlinear frequency conversion or generation. Lastly, hybrid chips are developed to interface living neurons with photonic waveguides in the search for artificial intelligence. Here, the signal transduction is achieved by using photo-sensitive proteins.

Advanced nanomaterials from natural resources 

In this research activity, we learn from nature how to use molecules and biological nanostructures to build innovative functional materials. The focus is on understanding how the properties of biosystems arise from the peculiar characteristics of their nanoscale building blocks. Nature is inspiring us as it created a broad type of complex assembled structures based on hierarchical architectures to afford specific functionalities. The possibility to recycle agrifood wastes and transform them into added valued materials is the goal of our research line: the properties of biocolloids, the dynamics at the bio-interfaces, the strength and stability of natural structures are investigated and the acquired knowledge used to realize sustainable and smart materials and processes.

Group members